Undocumented Students Lose in "Liberal" Mass.

Mass. House Defeats Immigrant Tuition Bill

The Associated Press
By STEVE LeBLANC

BOSTON (AP) - House lawmakers defeated a bill Wednesday that have would allowed undocumented immigrant students to pay the same in-state tuition at state colleges as Massachusetts residents. The students and their supporters had argued that the children of illegal immigrants who have graduated from Massachusetts high schools should pay the same tuition as their classmates. But opponents - including Gov. Mitt Romney and Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, both Republicans - said the state shouldn't reward illegal immigration. The 96-57 defeat was a blow to the Democratic leadership in the House, which had pushed for the bill. Undocumented immigrant students can become eligible for in-state tuition in nine states - California, Illinois, Kansas, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma Texas, Utah and Washington, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.